When the book has been recommended to me people have said that Fr. Arseny is a complilation of several different people. Part of the recommendation is that the book isn't a true story but a story of truth, much like the "Way of the Pilgrim."

If I remember correctly (and I don't want to limp upstairs to find the book right now), the second book about Fr. Arseny, in the introduction, refutes the accusations of "fairy tale." I did not find a link to a photograph, but here is a link to a photograph of his tombstone:

I have just found your site as I was in search of a photo of Fr. Arseny as well, after reading the book.... What a wonderful human being. I feel blessed to know that such people did exist. (and some still do).... Such people help restore and enrich my faith.

For those who do not believe, no proof is enough...for those who do, no proof is necessary..

While I know there are no known photos of Fr. Arseny, I DO believe he lived. Yes, I am a new Orthodox Christian; no, not a Russian Orthodox Christian - but a Greek Orthodox Christian. From having met Corrie Ten Boom, not an Orthodox Christian but a Stellar Christian, I know there are Christians who have survived "camps" and be able to forgive their captors/guards. So, YES! I DO believe Fr. Arseny existed as a live person, regardless of his actual birth name, regardless of lack of photos, regardless of the lack of knowledge of his grave site. The Underground Church had, and does to this day, operate in secret and cannot do the things we in the "free" world can do. I cannot judge the actions of someone from an Underground Church - I have never lived in those circumstances.

I CAN tell you the things that a child does to survive a dictatoral and abusive father, and the actions are not so different - you do what you can to survive, even if that means doing things that are incomprehensible to those in the "normal" world - such as a lack of a show of affection, not conforming to the "norms" of the day, such as flowers on a grave, etc.